System comprising an autonomous mobile device and a base station communicating via a boundary wire

Abstract

A system comprising an autonomous mobile device and a base station connected to a boundary wire is configured to transmit information from the base station to the autonomous mobile device. The base station is configured to generate a radio signal to be emitted by the boundary wire, wherein the autonomous mobile device is configured to autonomously drive within a working area based on the signal emitted by the boundary wire. The base station on the other hand is configured to encode data and/or commands into the radio signal which is then emitted by the boundary wire. The autonomous mobile device receive the emitted radio signal and is configured to decode the encoded data and/or commands in order to retrieve the original information.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system comprising a plurality of autonomous mobile devices and a base station connected to a boundary wire and configured to generate a radio signal to be emitted by the boundary wire,
 wherein each of the plurality of autonomous mobile devices is configured to autonomously drive within a working area based on the signal emitted by the boundary wire, 
 wherein the base station is configured to encode data or commands into the radio signal and each of the plurality of autonomous mobile devices is configured to decode the encoded data or commands, 
 wherein each of the plurality of autonomous mobile devices is configured to inject a signal into the boundary wire for establishing a communication back channel to communicate with each other, and 
 wherein each of the plurality of autonomous mobile devices is configured to, based on the command received from the base station, move around within the working area and search for a Wi-Fi house network and to stop moving when a connection to the Wi-Fi house network can be successfully established. 
 
     
     
       2. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a frequency of the radio signal on the boundary wire is adapted to a length of the boundary wire. 
 
     
     
       3. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 transmission power output of the radio signal is adapted according to a maximal receiving distance of the autonomous mobile device or according to a predetermined limitation concerning allowed signal power. 
 
     
     
       4. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the autonomous mobile device is configured to directly convert decoded commands into control commands for controlling at least one of a driving direction, driving speed and operation of a working tool of the autonomous mobile device. 
 
     
     
       5. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the autonomous mobile device is configured to set parameters for future operation of the autonomous mobile device based on data encoded by the base station and decoded by the autonomous mobile device. 
 
     
     
       6. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the autonomous mobile device is a lawnmower, vacuum cleaner, garden robot or a storage robot. 
 
     
     
       7. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a communication protocol used implements at least one of a checksum, a hash value, a sender ID, a receiver ID or data packet length. 
 
     
     
       8. The system according to  claim 7 , wherein
 the communication protocol is User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) or Broadcast Trivial File Transfer Protocol (BTFTP), Saratoga Protocol or Licklider Transmission Protocol (LTP). 
 
     
     
       9. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the system is configured to determine operating times or working areas for at least two autonomous mobile devices of the plurality of autonomous mobile devices. 
 
     
     
       10. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 each of the autonomous mobile devices is associated a unique address. 
 
     
     
       11. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the base station is connected to the internet or local network by wire or wirelessly and relays information between internet or local network and the autonomous mobile device(s) or between a user terminal connected to the local network and the autonomous mobile device(s). 
 
     
     
       12. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the base station or autonomous mobile device(s) is/are configured to encrypt or sign transmitted data or command using a cryptographic algorithm. 
 
     
     
       13. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 commands that can be encoded by the base station and decoded and executed by the autonomous mobile device comprise at least one of the following: return to base station, stop mowing, stop moving, move to coordinate XY, move to zone A, move to Wi-Fi range of house network, adjust mowing height. 
 
     
     
       14. The system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the data that is encoded by the base station comprises information on at least one of: working times, navigation points, weather information, device configuration, work parameters, map data, software update.